You’re supposed to be making money as an author, not handing it over to scammers and rip-off artists!

Hands-down, the most infuriating part of being an indie author coach and advocate is hearing their heartbreaking stories of being ripped off and even outright scammed out of their hard-earned money! And you wouldn’t believe me if I told you how frequently I am the one who winds up telling an author that they fell for a vanity press deal, a scam, or completely unqualified service provider.

It feels WAY past time for me to talk to you about the most common ways indie authors are being taken advantage of and even taken to the cleaners on a daily basis. So, this week, I’m going to pull back the curtain and bring these scam artists and their evil deeds out into the light of day!

In this episode, I’m not just going to tell you the most prevalent scams and rip-off schemes dogging indie authors today, but I’m also going to teach you how to spot these buggers from a mile away, know how to avoid them in the future, and what to do if you think you might be about to lose your hard earned money to a rat!

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

· The 2 most common ways authors are taken advantage of

· The biggest players in the author scams arena

· Why so many authors fall for these traps

· How to spot scammers from a mile away

· How to also avoid losing money on inexperienced, unqualified services

PRODUCTION TEAM

This show is produced by the lovely Joshua Hatcher of HatcherMedia.net! For affordable yet high quality podcast production with fast and super helpful service, send Josh a note and tell him Christina Kaye sent you!

RESOURCES & LINKS

Learn More, Get More, and Work With Me: https://christinakaye.com/

Snag a Book Sales Breakthrough Video Audit: https://square.link/u/oLnHtOQp

My Etsy Shop (The Bookish Swag Shop): https://thebookishswagshop.etsy.com

Find Me, Follow Me, DM Me on These Platforms:

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@christinakayeofficial

Substack: https://substack.com/@christinakayeofficial

Facebook: https://facebook.com/christinakayeofficial

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ChristinaKayeOfficial

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinakayeofficial/

SUBSCRIBE & FOLLOW THIS SHOW

If you enjoyed this episode, follow and/or subscribe to Write! Grow! Launch! wherever you listen to podcasts, so you don’t miss future episodes on successfully self-publishing, profitably launching your book, and building a sustainable indie author career…without burnout or BS.

If your book isn’t selling well at all, it’s not JUST a “marketing problem.” It’s a (fixable) problem with your conversion rates.

The best way to convert Amazon scrollers to buyers is what I call The Trifecta of Book Sales - the three elements that make or break your ability to turn browsers into buyers, which includes your book cover, your title, and your blurb. Even with all the changes in publishing and marketing over the last few years, these fundamentals haven’t changed…and they still carry the most weight.

Your cover must instantly signal genre and meet reader expectations. Your title should be clear, compelling, and aligned with what your audience is already searching for. And your blurb? It’s your sales pitch (not a summary) and it needs to hook readers emotionally while clearly communicating stakes and conflict.

In this episode, I’ll teach you that, when these three pieces are dialed in, everything else in your strategy becomes more effective. And if you want personalized, actionable feedback on how to improve your own book’s sales performance, check out my Book Sales Breakthrough Video Audits linked below.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

· The 3 elements that actually convert scrollers to buyers

· Why DIYing your book cover is a deadly mistake

· How and where to get a book cover that converts affordably

· Why you can’t just title your book whatever feels “right”

· How to come up with the best title for your book

· What your book blurb is and what it isn’t

· How to write a compelling Amazon description/book blurb

PRODUCTION TEAM!

This show is produced by the lovely Joshua Hatcher of HatcherMedia.net! For affordable yet high quality podcast production with fast and super helpful service, send Josh a note and tell him Christina Kaye sent you!

RESOURCES & LINKS

Learn More, Get More, and Work With Me: https://christinakaye.com/

Snag a Book Sales Breakthrough Video Audit: https://square.link/u/oLnHtOQp

Free Resource: https://bit.ly/4s6JI8F

My Etsy Shop (The Bookish Swag Shop): https://thebookishswagshop.etsy.com

Find Me, Follow Me, DM Me on These Platforms:

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@christinakayeofficial

Substack: https://substack.com/@christinakayeofficial

Facebook: https://facebook.com/christinakayeofficial

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ChristinaKayeOfficial

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinakayeofficial/

SUBSCRIBE & FOLLOW THIS SHOW

If you enjoyed this episode, follow and/or subscribe to Write! Grow! Launch! wherever you listen to podcasts, so you don’t miss future episodes on successfully self-publishing, profitably launching your book, and building a sustainable indie author career…without burnout or BS.

Authors with clear, consistent, and recognizable voices are 3X more likely to gain readers’ trust, as well as their loyalty.

For indie authors, especially, establishing our brand voice isn’t an optional “thing” to tick off a list! It’s what sets you apart in a sea of those who are publishing every single day. When your tone, personality, and messaging are consistent and recognizable, readers start to remember you, trust you, and come back for more. Why? Because they’re not just connecting with your books, they’re connecting with you.

That’s why in this week’s episode, I’m going to wrap up my three-part series on author brand building with what is arguably the most essential and critical element of all: your brand voice. Your “voice” isn’t about whether your speech is quiet or loud or gravely or sexy. It’s the super unique way you sound in your content, how you connect, and how readers come to know it’s you without even seeing your name.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

· What the true meaning of “brand voice” is!

· Why your brand voice can make (or break) your career!

· How to tap into your own unique brand voice and draw it out!

· How to share your unique brand voice consistently in everything you do!

· How failing to establish your unique brand voice makes you a minnow in an ocean!

· How you can, instead, become a shark in a very small pond!

KEY TAKEAWAY

Your brand voice already exists. It’s what makes you stand out uniquely to those who know and love you and can tell you apart in crowd based on any number of things that are genuinely YOU. Maybe you’re a full-fledged, unapologetic girly girl (like me). Maybe you have a certain catch phrase people are used to hearing. Maybe you are obsessed with purple. Whatever it is, if you want to find, attract, and build long-lasting (profitable) relationships with readers looking specifically for books like yours, building your unique brand, including your distinguishable voice, is paramount.

PRODUCTION TEAM!

This show is produced by the lovely Joshua Hatcher of HatcherMedia.net! For affordable yet high quality podcast production with fast and super helpful service, send Josh a note and tell him Christina Kaye sent you!

RESOURCES & LINKS

Learn More, Get More, and Work With Me: https://christinakaye.com/

Free Resource: https://bit.ly/4bXGwqW

My Etsy Shop (The Bookish Swag Shop): https://thebookishswagshop.etsy.com

Find Me, Follow Me, DM Me on These Platforms:

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@christinakayeofficial

Substack: https://substack.com/@christinakayeofficial

Facebook: https://facebook.com/christinakayeofficial

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ChristinaKayeOfficial

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinakayeofficial/

SUBSCRIBE & FOLLOW THIS SHOW

If you enjoyed this episode, follow and/or subscribe to Write! Grow! Launch! wherever you listen to podcasts, so you don’t miss future episodes on successfully self-publishing, profitably launching your book, and building a sustainable indie author career…without burnout or BS.

98% of consumers say brand authenticity matters more than ever before when choosing which businesses to support.

And readers are no different. They don’t just connect with books; they connect with the people who write them. Your brand story is the small but meaningful part of your life that explains why you write the kinds of stories you do. It’s not about oversharing or turning your life into a memoir. It’s about sharing a relatable moment, experience, or passion that helps readers see the real person behind the books.

So, in this episode of Write! Grow! Launch!, we’re diving into one of the most powerful—and often overlooked—elements of an author brand: your brand story. It’s Part 2 in my 3-part series on how hot build an indie author brand that attracts your ideal readers and allows them to connect with you, relate to you, and ultimately, trust you (which leads to much higher sales conversions)!

Over the next 3 weeks, I’ll go over the three critical elements of an effective indie author brand that converts: your visual aesthetics, your brand story, and your brand voice. And this week, I’m going over one of the most critical of these elements…your brand story!

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

· What on earth a brand story even is!

· Why your brand story matters more than ever for indie authors!

· How you can uncover your own unique brand story!

· Tips on how to actually share your story with your target audience!

· How to naturally attract readers who already love the same books you do!

KEY TAKEAWAY

Your brand story doesn’t have to be dramatic or deeply personal—it just has to be real. When readers understand why you love the kinds of stories you write, they begin to see you as someone who shares their interests, their curiosity, and their passion for those worlds. And that simple connection is often the difference between someone casually discovering your book… and becoming a lifelong fan who shows up for every new release.

PRODUCTION TEAM!

This show is produced by the lovely Joshua Hatcher of HatcherMedia.net! For affordable yet high quality podcast production with fast and super helpful service, send Josh a note and tell him Christina Kaye sent you!

RESOURCES & LINKS

Learn More About Me: https://christinakaye.com/

Free Resource: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QZW6AqiZKRL4s4zam4N5dZwsmOPw5jUL/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=112062873962772342332&rtpof=true&sd=true

My Etsy Shop (The Bookish Swag Shop): https://thebookishswagshop.etsy.com

Find Me, Follow Me, DM Me on These Platforms:

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@christinakayeofficial

Facebook: https://facebook.com/christinakayeofficial

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ChristinaKayeOfficial

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinakayeofficial/

SUBSCRIBE & FOLLOW THIS SHOW

If you enjoyed this episode, follow and/or subscribe to Write! Grow! Launch! wherever you listen to podcasts, so you don’t miss future episodes on successfully self-publishing, profitably launching your book, and building a sustainable indie author career…without burnout or BS.

80% of consumers say they MUST be able to relate to and connect with a brand before they buy from it (and yes, that includes books)!

Long gone are the days when authors could hide behind our computer screens in blissful anonymity as we write to our little hearts’ content. They’ve been replaced with a modern market filled with consumers (including readers), who must feel some sort of personal connection to a brand before they invest a penny in them. We have to build what’s called the “know-like-trust” factor. And the most important way we can do that, as indie authors, is by building a magnetic, cohesive, and complete author brand!

That’s why, on Write! Grow! Launch!, I’m bringing you a 3-part series on how hot build an indie author brand that attracts your ideal readers and allows them to connect with you, relate to you, and ultimately, trust you (which leads to much higher sales conversions)!

Over the next 3 weeks, I’ll go over the three critical elements of an effective indie author brand that converts: your visual aesthetics, your brand story, and your brand voice. We’ll start this week by going over one of the most fun but important of these elements…the aesthetics!

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

· Why everything you post visually online must be branded!

· Why the visual aspects of your brand are so important!

· How to choose your brand color palette and fonts!

· Choosing, finding, and even creating on-brand graphics!

· Taking “branded selfies” and why being “face-forward” is critical!

KEY TAKEAWAY

When you show up for your audience, you put your best face forward, and you reveal yourself as a genuine, regular lover of books, who is just like them, magical things happen. You’ll go from having a couple hundred “followers” to thousands of avid, loyal fans and friends who will show up for you during launch week just because they care and want to support you, and then, guess what happens? You will NEVER have to “sell” a book again in your career! So, put together a reader-facing visual vibe your Ideal Readers can relate to and connect with for starters.

RECOMMENDED NEXT STEPS

• Dial in on your chosen genre, subgenre, and niche (i.e., dark romantasy not just fantasy)

• Start spending time online each day where your Ideal Reader Avatar is hanging out

• Pay attention to everything: what they love and don’t, what they want and don’t…

• Spend 10-15 min EVERY day following, engaging with, and talking directly to your IRA

• When connecting with your readers, think like a Booktoker, NOT an Authortoker

• Stop pitching and start building relationships with your IRA 90 days before you launch

RESOURCES & LINKS

Learn More About Me: https://christinakaye.com/

Schedule a FREE strategy call: https://hello.dubsado.com/public/form/view/69634d3f7a5de72a93761652

My Etsy Shop (The Bookish Swag Shop): https://thebookishswagshop.etsy.com

Want me to audit your entire book sales system and send you a private video with feedback?

https://square.link/u/oLnHtOQp

Find Me, Follow Me, DM Me on These Platforms:

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@christinakayeofficial

Substack: https://substack.com/@christinakayeofficial

Facebook: https://facebook.com/christinakayeofficial

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ChristinaKayeOfficial

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinakayeofficial/

SUBSCRIBE & FOLLOW THIS SHOW

If you enjoyed this episode, follow and/or subscribe to Write! Grow! Launch! wherever you listen to podcasts, so you don’t miss future episodes on successfully self-publishing, profitably launching your book, and building a sustainable indie author career…without burnout or BS.

Being an indie author doesn’t really mean you have to do everything totally alone.

Most indie authors have heard the term “street team,” but if you asked them to explain it clearly, they’d hesitate. A true street team is a small, organized group of loyal readers (and other supporters) who actively help you build visibility before, during, and after your launch. The problem is that no one really teaches what a street team actually does, how to structure it, or how to turn reader enthusiasm into strategic support instead of chaos.

So, this week, on Write! Grow! Launch!, I’m sitting down with prolific bestselling indie author, Victoria Danann, who has sold MILLIONS of her books and credits her street team as one of the biggest factors in her success.

We’ll discuss what exactly defines a street team, how (and when) you can build one yourself, and how to encourage them to help spread the word about your book and help you get far more visibility than you would ever get alone.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

· What a street team really is

· Who you want in your street team

· How to recruit the right people to join

· What they can and should do for you

· How to encourage them and keep them motivated

KEY TAKEAWAY

Doing everything by yourself is not only exhausting and a road to absolute burnout, but it’s almost impossible to get the kind of exposure your book really needs that way. Stop thinking you have to do it all solo. Find a group of your most loyal online (and IRL) friends, group them together, and turn them into a powerful engine that will drive sales faster and higher than you thought possible.

RESOURCES & LINKS

Learn More About Me: https://christinakaye.com/

Learn About Victoria & read her books: https://victoriadanann.com/

My Course (The Bestselling Indie Author Playbook): https://bit.ly/49HT4AB

My Etsy Shop (The Bookish Swag Shop): https://thebookishswagshop.etsy.com

Find Me, Follow Me, DM Me on These Platforms:

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@christinakayeofficial

Substack: https://substack.com/@christinakayeofficial

Facebook: https://facebook.com/christinakayeofficial

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ChristinaKayeOfficial

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinakayeofficial/

SUBSCRIBE & FOLLOW THIS SHOW

If you enjoyed this episode, follow and/or subscribe to Write! Grow! Launch! wherever you listen to podcasts, so you don’t miss future episodes on successfully self-publishing, profitably launching your book, and building a sustainable indie author career…without burnout or BS.

Is using an outdated strategy REALLY worth damaging or even losing your career as an indie author?

I’m betting your answer to that is that, no, it isn’t. Unfortunately, too many indies are either unaware of or unwilling to stop things that are damaging their chances at a career, let alone a successful one. And one of the most dangerous “strategies” still being used daily by indie authors is the ARC Review process.

So, this week, on Write! Grow! Launch!, I’m diving deep into yet another “hot topic” that creates debate, even chaos, every single time I post or talk about it. But like it or not, the truth is that ARC Reviews, while posted by kindhearted, well-intentioned readers volunteering their time, is a time suck you can’t afford. But most importantly, it’s dangerous to your career!

In this short, to-the-point episode, I’m going to explain very clearly and under no uncertain terms, exactly why this strategy is outdated, wasteful of your time, and potentially deadly for your books.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

· What exactly is an ARC Reviewer and why it’s not their fault.

· Why using ARCs is a complete waste of your time and will throttle your progress.

· How ARC Reviewers are unintentionally telling Amazon their review is fake or hired.

· What Amazon is currently doing regarding book reviews that changed all this.

· What you can do to get honest, verified, and safe reviews for your book instead.

KEY TAKEAWAY

While it’s hard to hear that you’re depending on and using outdated, even dangerous strategies to self-publish and market, it will be even harder on you to learn that your book has been removed from Amazon…or worse yet, that you can no longer use the biggest book sales platform in the world to publish and sell your books! So, take heed, listen to my advice, and instead, lean more into building your community and gently reminding them to leave reviews.

RESOURCES & LINKS

Learn More About Me: https://christinakaye.com/

My Etsy Shop (The Bookish Swag Shop): https://thebookishswagshop.etsy.com

Find Me, Follow Me, DM Me on These Platforms:

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@christinakayeofficial

Substack: https://substack.com/@christinakayeofficial

Facebook: https://facebook.com/christinakayeofficial

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ChristinaKayeOfficial

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinakayeofficial/

SUBSCRIBE & FOLLOW THIS SHOW

If you enjoyed this episode, follow and/or subscribe to Write! Grow! Launch! wherever you listen to podcasts, so you don’t miss future episodes on successfully self-publishing, profitably launching your book, and building a sustainable indie author career…without burnout or BS.

What would happen if Taylor Swift’s next album dropped, and it was death metal?

The truth is, while a tiny handful of her millions of die-hard fans MIGHT think it’s cool, the vast majority, and I mean 99.999%, would revolt. That may seem like an absurd thing to imagine, but it’s exactly what many indie authors try to pull off daily, then wonder why they aren’t selling books.

That’s exactly why this week, on Write! Grow! Launch!, I’m going to slow things down a smidge and give you the no BS, no holding back TRUTH to why I (and any expert worth their weight in gold) shout from the rooftops that, “No! You cannot write and publish across different genres under the same name and expect to be successful. It will not work.”

And before you decide NOT to listen to this episode because you think I’m wrong without hearing the WHY behind what I’m telling you, just know that this one episode could quite literally change the entire trajectory of your publishing career…especially if you take what I teach you to heart.

This episode may spark quite the debate, just as it does every time I post about this, send a newsletter, or talk about it on any platform. But if even one indie author listens, heeds my advice, and it helps them finally realize their dream, it’s every bit worth it for me.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

· What it actually means to “niche down” for indie authors.

· How choosing one genre to write is the biggest marketing decision you’ll make

· Why choosing one genre isn’t stifling your creativity or limiting you like you think

· How you can choose your genre/niche even if you “love all kinds of books”

· What’s at stake if you don’t niche down and choose your subgenre

· How this is not a forever rule and how you can one day write whatever you want

KEY TAKEAWAY

The thought of niching down and writing and publishing in one genre only is understandably uncomfortable for many indie authors, but it isn’t forever. One day, you’ll have the freedom of time, energy, and finances to create as many different brands to write under as you can manage. But if you want to build a sustainable, profitable career in self-publishing, you have to accept the fact that this is what works in 2026, and it’s how you’re 1000X more likely to be discovered by the right audience of readers, for them to buy your book and read it, and most importantly, to love it and share it with their fellow avid readers in that same genre.

RESOURCES & LINKS

Learn More About Me: https://christinakaye.com/

My Etsy Shop (The Bookish Swag Shop): https://thebookishswagshop.etsy.com

Find Me, Follow Me, DM Me on These Platforms:

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@christinakayeofficial

Substack: https://substack.com/@christinakayeofficial

Facebook: https://facebook.com/christinakayeofficial

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ChristinaKayeOfficial

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinakayeofficial/

SUBSCRIBE & FOLLOW THIS SHOW

If you enjoyed this episode, follow and/or subscribe to Write! Grow! Launch! wherever you listen to podcasts, so you don’t miss future episodes on successfully self-publishing, profitably launching your book, and building a sustainable indie author career…without burnout or BS.